Pitcher&#39;s mini-jacket

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a quick-donning mini-jacket with matching left and right segments, either one of which may independently be used to cover and/or protect a baseball pitcher&#39;s throwing arm. Upon insertion of the pitcher&#39;s arm into either segment, the wearer may experience a snug, comfortable fit of the garment about the perimeter of the wearer&#39;s shoulder and arm, by virtue of an inner elastic band. Should the inner elastic band be insufficient for a close and comfortable fit, an adjustment strap is provided, typically of a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism. By adjusting tightness of the strap, the tensile force about the shoulder joint may be increased a comfortable amount. In this manner, a pitcher&#39;s arm can be kept warm, relaxed, and relatively free from muscle tightening or tension that might result from a just-completed pitching session.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of athletics, particularly tothe sport of baseball. A great variety of equipment, performanceenhancing devices, and protective clothing is used in this sport.Especially notable is the catcher's mask, leg and arm padding, throatprotector, etc. When actively engaged in a game, it is normallynecessary for the pitcher to take safeguards for his throwing arm.Between innings, pitchers must keep their throwing arm warm in order toprevent stiff muscles and/or soreness from developing due to the“cooling” effect of non-throwing while sitting on the bench. Thisincludes such actions as wrapping a bath towel around the throwing arm,or inserting the pitching arm into one sleeve of a regular athleticjacket. The inventive device herein serve to protect the pitcher's armfrom losing its flexibility and warmth when worn on the pitching armduring this time period.

(2) Description of the Related Art, Including Information DisclosedUnder 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

U.S. patent application #2009/0000002A1 (Jan. 1, 2009) A sleeve for useby baseball or softball pitchers is provided. The sleeve covers theentirety of the arm and shoulder and is easily slipped on and off.Pitchers can thereby keep their pitching arm warm by wearing the sleevebetween innings. Alternatively, pockets or other securing means areprovided whereby a wearer can add a heating or cooling pad or bag sothat the arm can be warmed or cooled. The sleeve is also useful forpurposes other than keeping a pitching arm warm. For example, an armthat is sore from muscle strain or after an operation can be cooled byusing cold packs in the sleeve so that swelling is minimized.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,586 (Nov. 2, 1999) The invention is asunlight-blocking sleeve for protecting the skin on the arms andshoulders of a wearer from sunlight. The inventive device includes apair of sleeves with each sleeve having opposite wrist and shoulderopenings and which is adapted for wearing on the arm and shoulder of awearer the sleeve. An elongate flexible strap is coupled to the sleevearound the periphery of the shoulder. The flexible strap has a free endportion which is attachable to another portion of the flexible strap tohold the sleeve over the shoulder of a wearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,001 (Jul. 30, 1991) Discloses a garment for use byathletes for retaining body heat adjacent to the arm and shouldermuscles and the major muscles utilized while throwing an object. Thethrowing motion utilizes the upper back and torso muscles in addition tothe shoulder and arm muscles. Thus, it is desirable to retain heat onthese muscles to prevent them from “tightening up” while the athlete isidle, such as between innings of a baseball game.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,934 (Jan. 22, 1991) A, sleeve to be worn by a sportsplayer, such as a baseball pitcher, is disclosed herein for covering thefavored pitching arm of the player and the sleeve includes a pair ofinside pockets located adjacent to the elbow and shoulder joint areasintended to be kept warm. The pockets insertably receive a therapeuticpack, either an electrical heating device or a cold, pack as desired.The sleeve is attached to a partial torso covering portion to whichsecurement straps are attached for releasably retaining the sleeve andtorso covering portion.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

While resting on the bench between innings, the temperature of apitcher's arm muscles can cool fairly rapidly. Upon taking his place onthe pitching mound for the next inning, the pitcher must again undergothe stress of hard throwing, despite the throwing arm muscles havingcontracted due to the cooling effect between innings. The inventiveconcept herein assists in minimizing the contracting of the pitcher'sarm muscles by providing a mechanism for retention of the muscles' heatduring the bench sitting period.

Essentially, the invention is a quick-donning mini-jacket fitted at anappropriate size for the pitcher's throwing arm, and/or the non-throwingarm. Almost all U.S. major league pitchers commonly wear apartially-donned jacket in between innings, even during summer months.Wearing half of a baseball jacket can be both cumbersome andinefficient. In contrast, the pitcher can maintain his throwing arm inreadiness on the bench by inserting his arm into one sleeve of the minijacket disclosed so that his arm is kept warm and relaxed. This willresult in less soreness the next day, as well as a lower risk of injuryduring a pitcher's career.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the right-handed segment of the mini-jacket.

FIG. 2 displays two contrasting views of the opposite segments of themini-jacket.

FIG. 3 presents the left-handed segment of the mini-jacket.

Nomenclature  1. Left segment mini-jacket  2. Right segment mini-jacket 3. Left upper elastic band  4. Right upper elastic band  5. Left lowerelastic band  6. Right lower elastic band  7. Left inner elastic band 8. Right inner elastic band  9. Left sleeve lining 10. Right sleevelining 11. Left adjustment strap 12. Right adjustment strap 13. Lefthook component 14. Right hook component 15. Left felt component 16.Right felt component 17. Left elbow expansion section 18. Right elbowexpansion section 19. Left wrist cuff 20. Right wrist cuff

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Beginning with FIG. 1, there is shown the right-handed segment of themini-jacket 2. Features disclosed include an elastic wrist cuff 20, anelbow expansion section 18, an upper elastic band section 4, anadjustment strap 12, and the hook component 14 of a hook-and-feltfastening mechanism. The wrist cuff 20 may take the form of an expansiveweb-like material that elastically closes about the wrist of the player,or it may be of a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism to securely closethe sleeve of the mini jacket about the wrist. The elbow expansionsection 18 may be utilized for the placement of extra cushioning,healing medicaments, or padding of various types for comfort of theplayer's elbow.

FIG. 2 depicts both components of the mini jacket inventive concept: theleft-handed segment 1 and the right-handed segment 2. In observing theleft-handed segment 1 in FIG. 2, there is shown an elastic wrist cuff19, an elbow expansion section 17, an upper elastic band section 3, thesleeve lining 10, an adjustment strap 11, the hook component 13 of ahook-and-felt fastening mechanism, and the felt component 15 of ahook-and felt fastening mechanism. Upon insertion of the arm into theleft-handed segment 1, the wearer may have a snug comfortable fit of thegarment about the shoulder perimeter by virtue of the left inner elasticband 7. The left inner elastic band 7 is constructed with sufficienttension so as to cause the left-handed segment 1 to graspingly andcomfortably fit about the shoulder joint.

In the event that a wearer of either segment 1, 2, of the mini jacketdetermines the need for greater tensioned force about the shoulder,he/she may make use of the left, right, adjustment strap 11, 12. By wayof illustration, in the preferred embodiment, the left adjustment strap11 is connected to a left inner elastic band 7, and the free end of theleft adjustment strap 11 comprises the felt component 15 of ahook-and-felt fastening mechanism. FIG. 2 shows that the left innerelastic band 7 is attached to the shoulder area of the left segment 1 ofthe mini-jacket and continues around the shoulder area to attachinglyunderlie the hook component 13 of a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism.The left inner elastic band 7 further transitions into the left lowerelastic band 5.

Simply grasping the felt component 15 and tugging ample length of thestrap 11, the tensile force about the shoulder joint is increased byplacing felt component 15 at a desirable location on the surface of thehook component 13.

Similarly, a wearer may desire a greater tensioning of the right segment2 of the mini-jacket. In viewing FIG. 2, the right adjustment strap 12is connected to a right inner elastic band 8, and the free end of theright adjustment strap 12 comprises the felt component 16 of ahook-and-felt fastening mechanism. The right inner elastic band 8 isattached to the shoulder area of the right segment 2 of the mini-jacketand continues around the shoulder area to attachingly underlie the hookcomponent 14 of a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism. The right innerelastic band 8 further transitions into the right lower elastic band 6.By grasping the felt component 16 and tugging ample length of the strap12, the tensile force about the shoulder joint is increased by placingthe felt component 16 at a desirable location on the surface of the hookcomponent 14.

FIG. 3 depicts a baseball pitcher wearing the left segment 1 of the minijacket, having the left adjustment strap 11 secured to the left hookcomponent 13 of the fastening mechanism. The inventive concept may alsobe fabricated with other than a hook-and-felt mechanism. For example, astrap comprising a free end having symmetrically-spaced holes forencompassing a frame-and-prong belt buckle attached to the other end ofsaid strap may be used as the tension adjusting means.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mini-jacket may befabricated from plain material, or a special quilted fabric may be used,or any other appropriate, durable fabric. In any event, the constructionof the material for the mini-jacket is preferably of an insulativematerial with layers of fabric, thereby providing protection from theelements and also cushioning and padding for the arm and elbow.

While preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept have beenshown and disclosed herein, it will be obvious to those persons skilledin the art that such embodiments are presented by way of example only,and not as a limitation to the scope of the inventive concept. Numerousvariations, changes, and substitutions may occur or be suggested tothose skilled in the art without departing from the intent, scope, andtotality of this inventive concept. Such variations, changes, andsubstitutions may involve other features which are already known per seand which may be used instead of, in combination with, or in addition tofeatures already disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is intended that thisinventive concept be inclusive of such variations, changes, andsubstitutions, and by no means limited by the scope of the claimspresented herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective mini-jacket for sheltering thethrowing arm of a baseball pitcher, said mini-jacket comprising matchingleft- and right-armed segments, each adapted for encompassing the armand shoulder of a wearer, and each segment further having a wristopening and a shoulder opening; wherein each of said segments comprisesa flexible, multi-layered material and each said segment furthercomprising (a) an expandable, form-fitting portion about the perimeterof said wrist cuff, for securing the cuff around the wrist of thewearer; (b) a tensioned, expandable portion of material within, thecircumference of the shoulder joint proximate said shoulder opening forthe purpose of holding the segment around the shoulder of the wearer;and (c) an elongate strap having one end mounted and coupled to aperipheral edge of said segment, about the periphery of said shoulderopening, and a second end, being a free end portion, having a means forattaching said free end portion to the mounted portion of said strap,for the purpose of increasing the holding tension of said strap aboutthe shoulder of the wearer.
 2. A protective mini-jacket as in claim 1,wherein said means for attaching the free end portion of said strap tothe mounted end of said strap comprises a hook-and-loop fastenerwith-the free end portion further comprising the felt component and themounted end of said strap comprising the hook component.
 3. A protectivemini-jacket as in claim 1, wherein said means for attaching the free endportion of said strap to the mounted end of said strap comprises aframe-and-prong belt buckle mechanism, in which the free end of saidstrap comprises symmetrically-spaced holes and the mounted end of saidstrap comprises a frame-and-prong belt buckle.